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Breakfast & Brunch | June 12, 2019

Biscuits and Sausage Gravy Recipe

Biscuits and Sausage Gravy is a traditional Southern breakfast that will quickly become a family favorite in your home!  Biscuits and gravy are so easy to make and are the ultimate comfort breakfast.

Twenty-nine years ago next month, my dad passed away. He loved his country. Served in the Navy for 20 years. Fixed his own cars. Was a hard worker and a Johnny Cash fan. A Republican. Loved baseball, basketball, football, and boxing. Spent time at the horse track. Loved hunting, camping, horseback riding, and fishing. Fishing was his favorite!

I dreaded fishing season. We owned a little lot up by Lake Cushman, WA growing up. Parked our camper there every summer. We spent HOURS and hours fishing. Trolling was my Dad’s favorite way to fish. My brother, mom and I would take turns going with Dad.

If it was my turn, I would throw on my swim suit, and hope to catch some sun during those long days of fishing. If I got a tan, it didn’t seem like a total loss of a day. SO many hours spent on the lake fishing…listening to the little brown leather covered, and later,  black transistor radio. With Dad it was always country music. Ohhhh how I hated country music. Funny…I love it now.

Dad also loved to fish rivers for steel head salmon. The Cowlitz, and Toutle rivers were among our summer hangouts. One summer Dad discovered Moses Lake fishing, where we caught TONS of Crappie. Seriously, they are called Crappie! But pronounced Croppie. Not my favorite fish. I remember complaining about eating SO MUCH FISH. Especially the salmon. What was I thinking?

Biscuits and Gravy

I think about those days fishing with my dad, and wonder, why didn’t I talk to him more about his childhood? Ask him more questions about his parents, grandparents, and his life? More about growing up on the farm in Delta, Utah? His early 20’s traveling the world on the various Navy battleships? How I wish I could turn back the clock now.

My Dad was 57 years young when he passed away. Lung Cancer and cirrhosis took his life. He wasn’t perfect, but he loved his family. He was a family man. He honored his mother and father the best he could. Dad loved his pioneer heritage. He loved us unconditionally, and was always forgiving of the mistakes we made. My most precious and lasting impression of my dad will always be – he loved us, and we knew it.

buttermilk biscuits

Every time I make biscuits, I think of my Dad. He LOVED  this biscuits and gravy. Especially this Biscuits and Sausage Gravy recipe! Maybe that’s why my kids love gravy with their biscuits so much? In honor of Dad, and all of the other Fathers out there whose lives on the earth were way too short- cook up some biscuits and gravy! And if your Dad is still around, don’t forget to call and tell him you love him.

Easy Biscuits and Gravy

I found this recipe for Buttermilk Biscuits printed in a local newspaper a long time ago, when we were first married.  It’s simple and most importantly- SO delicious. I love a good flaky homemade buttery biscuit covered in savory sausage gravy. It doesn’t get much better than that. Comfort food at it’s BEST! This breakfast is rich, flavorful, and perfect for feeding your family, friends, neighbors, etc.! Biscuits and Sausage Gravy also makes THE BEST dinner as well. Start the biscuits, and while they are baking, make the gravy. It’s a 20-30 minute dinner everyone will love!

Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

You must, must, must make homemade biscuits to go with your sausage gravy. Store-bought biscuits will not do this recipe justice!  Buttermilk biscuits are so easy to make.

You will never go back to canned biscuits once you’ve made biscuits from scratch. I  hope you love this recipe as much as I do. It has a special place in my heart!

~Biscuits and Sausage Gravy Recipe was originally posted June 12, 2009, and has been updated with new photos and adjustments to the recipe~

5 from 10 votes
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Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

Homemade Sausage Gravy is so easy to make. The creamy gravy filled with sausage is the perfect topping for a home made biscuit! 

Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Keyword biscuits and gravy, Sausage Gravy
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 12 oz tube of Jimmy Dean Spicy Sausage
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup flour sifted
  • 3-4 cups milk whole is best
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
  • fresh ground pepper
  • dash cayenne

Biscuits

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 5 tablespoons Butter Flavor Crisco
  • 1 cup shaken buttermilk*

Instructions

  1. Brown sausage in skillet, drain grease from pan. Remove sausage and place in small bowl. Lightly wipe out the pan with a paper towel. 

  2. Melt the butter in the skillet over medium high heat. Add the flour, and whisk in until the lumps disappear. Continue to cook for about 1-2 minutes or until bubbly and slightly browned. 

  3. Add salt, pepper and cayenne. Using a whisk, add in the milk, a cup at a time, whisking during each addition, letting the gravy thicken as the milk is added. If needed, lower temperature of stove. I usually add about 3 1/2 to 4 cups total, depending on how long the gravy sits on the stove before serving. 

  4. Add the cooked sausage to the gravy and heat through. Add more pepper or salt to taste. 

  5. Serve with home made biscuits, fried eggs and potatoes.

For Biscuits:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

  2. Place flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

  3. Add buttermilk all at once. Fold buttermilk and flour/shortening mixture together.

  4. Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Gently pat out to about 3/4 to 1″ thick.  Cut into circles with either a glass or biscuit cutter.

  5. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet or baking pan for 12-15 minutes until golden brown on middle rack in oven. 

Recipe Notes

  • Make the biscuits while the sausage is cooking. Pop the biscuits in the oven when you are making the gravy. They will be ready about the same time.
  • ALWAYS shake buttermilk before using. 
  • To reheat biscuits, (if there are any leftovers) cut in half and place on a cookie sheet cut side up. Broil just until the inside of the biscuit is golden. Watch carefully so the biscuit does not burn! Don’t ever heat a biscuit up in a microwave, it will become soggy. 

 

37 thoughts on “Biscuits and Sausage Gravy Recipe

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Recipe Rating




  1. What a beautiful tribute to your Dad. He would be so proud of you and the fabulous person you have become. He would adore your family. You're a terrific daughter!

    1. Hi Courtney, I haven’t tried a gluten free version before but I’m sure it would be just as good. Make sure to use high quality gluten free flour, and let me know how they turn out if you make them!
      xo
      Si

  2. Thanks for including this recipe in your recent email. I will be making this for my husband for Father’s Day breakfast. 🙂

  3. 5 stars
    Made these for my husband on Father’s Day and he enthusiastically approves of the recipe. It had the perfect amount of spice, very flavorful, and best of all super easy. I was so proud of my homemade biscuits! This will definitely be a staple in our home on Father’s Day

    1. I love how easy and simple this recipe is too, Lea, and such a perfect breakfast for Father’s Day (or really any day)! Thanks for sharing and for reading ABK!
      xo
      Si

  4. 5 stars
    This is probably one of the best biscuits and gravy I’ve had ANYWHERE. I loved this recipe and it was a hit with my family! It’s would be so easy to double for bigger crowds too. This is now being added to our rotation of favorites!

    1. I’m so glad to hear that Olivia. It’s one of my favorites too because of how simple it is to make. Thanks for sharing!
      xo
      Si

  5. Best biscuits and gravy we’ve had! Super easy to make and eat 😉
    It has the perfect amount of kick but you can also easily take down the spicy without the cayenne and spicy sausage.

    1. Thanks Sydney, this recipe is great for anyone because it’s so easy to adapt to your liking. And thanks for reading ABK!
      xo
      Si

  6. 5 stars
    This was perfect for my husband’s father’s day breakfast! Biscuits and gravy are his favorite and he loved the extra “kick” in this version. I had never made homemade biscuits before, but they were so easy and yummy! I may never go back to the tubes!

    1. I agree, Lyndsey, these homemade biscuits are SO much better than anything you can get at the store. I’m so glad you and your husband enjoyed the recipe and thanks for reading ABK!
      xo
      Si

  7. I love a good biscuits and gravy! Have you ever tried making it without making a roux with butter and instead just with the grease from the sausage? My mom, and now myself, always did it that way. You just sprinkle the flour of the undrained sausage and stir to combine, then pour in the milk and stir and let thicken. It’s so easy!

    1. Hi Becca, I love that you tried it with the grease from the sausage. I just love making it with the butter because of that classic flavor. Either way, they’re both delicious variations! Thanks for sharing,
      xo
      Si

  8. Such a wonderful post about your dad! I grew up in Moses Lake (thankfully waterskiing, not fishing) and loved my time on the lake with my dad. He passed away one year ago now and I’m still blubbering. Be glad what you caught there wasn’t carp! Anyway, so anxious to make this delicious sounding recipe!!! Thanks.

    1. Marilyn,
      Moses Lake will always have a special place in my heart! Thanks for sharing about your dad <3
      xo
      Si

  9. 5 stars
    I made this for breakfast on Father’s Day. Delicious! I have never been able to make gravy until I tried this recipe and it was perfect. My whole family was in heaven!

  10. We made this for our 4th of July breakfast at the cabin. It was so yummy and the family loved it. American 🇺🇸 Comfort food to celebrate the 4th. Thank you for all your yummy recipes.

  11. I made your biscuits and gravy for trek and it was a huge success!! I made the sausage gravy in advance and just had to warm it up right before serving and purchased the biscuits pre-remade and already cooked at a restaurant supply —based on your Great suggestion :). I’m not normally a biscuits and gravy fan but your recipe is amazing!

  12. I loved reading this tribute to your Dad! I love my dad but he lives in S Korea, thanks for the prompt to tell him how much i love him. Ive never tried biscuits and gravy but this post totally makes me want to make it! Also we live near Lake Cushman!! One of my favorite hikes is there at the Staircase! Thanks for sharing all of your wonderful recipes!

  13. Can’t wait to try this recipe! My family loves biscuits and gravy. And what a great tribute to your dad! I grew up in the Delta area and still live here! Such a small world.

    1. Let me know how it turns out for you, Aimee! I agree, it is such a small world and biscuits and gravy have always been a tradition in our family. Thank you for sharing!
      xo
      Si

  14. 5 stars
    This makes a regular dinner appearance around here. The pepper and cayenne are the perfect spice and the biscuits are so good. We love this!